All Or Nothing
by Mrs. Fillion
Summary: Mike wants marriage, but does Katherine? Set in season 5.


Set in season 5.

Mike Delfino had taken Katherine Mayfair out to a fancy dinner. Little did she know what lay in store for that night. They sat down and began dining, everything was going as planned until Susan walked in…with Jackson?

"What is she doing here?" Katherine asked; which woke Mike from his thoughts.

"I don't know, but it looks like she's back together with Jackson. Maybe she'll finally leave us alone." Mike hoped this event wouldn't ruin his plans with Katherine.

"Let's hope…Susan, hi!" Katherine faked a smile and got up to hug her.

"Hey, what are you two doing?" Susan looked between the two of them, she had to admit, they were a beautiful couple. "Well, we are seeing each other." Mike answered, a little bit annoyed. Katherine gave him a don't-be-so-rude look and turned back to Susan. "Are you two back together?" Katherine motioned between Jackson and Susan. "I don't know. Jackson brought me here to sweep me off my feet." Susan looked back at him.

"Susan, our tables ready. Good to see you both." Jackson walked Susan over to their table which was closer, than Mike would have liked, to theirs.

Katherine sat back down and placed her hand on top of Mike's, "Where were we?" She flashed him a sexy smile. He could have done her on the table right there, but he controlled himself.

"Just drinking a little champagne," Mike filled Katherine's glass up.

"Oh, what's the occasion?" Katherine picked her glass up and peeked over at Susan, who in turn, quickly turned away. "Six months of being together. Did you forget today is our anniversary?" Mike got a little sad. No woman he had ever been with forgot stuff like this. "Just testing you," She smiled again.

"Mike and Katherine are dating now?" Jackson asked as Susan stared at the couple across the restaurant.

"Worse that that, they're living together." Susan still hadn't taken her eyes off of them.

"Why is that such a bad thing? After all the stuff you told me about Katherine's tortured love life I thought you'd be thrilled to see her happy." Jackson lightly turns her head to look at him. "I would have been thrilled if it was any other man, but it's Mike. I can't just support that." Susan looked into his eyes, but moved them so they were looking back at Mike and Katherine. "You sound like you're still in love with him or something." Jackson let go of her face. "I don't know what it is, but I can promise you I'm not in love with him."

"Katherine, what are you doing?" Mike grabs a hold of her foot that is wandering its way into his crotch. "Nothing," She gives him her innocent eyes and he lets go of her foot.

"I'm sure," He chuckles and goes back to his dinner, "More champagne?" Mike asks, holding the bottle up. She gives him her glass, "Are you trying to get me drunk so you can have your way with me later?" She jokes.

"Please, I already know I'm going to have my way with you later: drunk or not." He gives her the glass back.

"Is that so?" She takes a sip and looks at him over the rim. He starred into those beautiful brown eyes of hers. The one's he had become so familiar with over the past six months. He decided that he needed to do this now, before he lost his nerve. What was he so afraid of, it's not like she would possibly say no. Not after how happy they had been over the past six months. Mike called the waiter over, "We're ready for dessert." Mike hands him the dirty plates and the waiter nods and scurried off to the kitchen.

"We didn't even order dessert." Katherine looks around, clearly confused.

"Oh, I ordered your favorite when we got here." Mike answers quickly.

"That was sweet of you." Katherine leans over to kiss him.

The waiter brings out dessert and places a plate of chocolate cake between the two of them and hands them each a fork. A man with a violin comes to their table and begins playing some romantic music.

"Mike, what is this?" Katherine looks around.

Mike takes a small box out of his inside jacket pocket. He gets down on one knee and takes Katherine's hand.

"He's proposing!" Susan jumps up.

"Katherine, these last months have been the best of my life. I love you and it would make me the happiest man on earth to be able to call you my wife…will you marry me?" Mike opened the box to show her the most beautiful ring. Katherine sat there, tears welling up in her eyes, obviously searching her head to put together some sort of answer.

"Mike, I…I…can't." She got up and ran to the bathroom.

That car ride home was the worst either of them had ever been in. They both had so much to say, but neither of them had the guts to say any of it. They returned to the lane and when Mike got inside the house they shared, he collapsed on the couch. He was devastated; all his plans had gone up in flames. He was positive that she was going to say yes. What was holding her back? Katherine walked in the house and sighed, looking over at Mike. She decided now was as good a time as any to talk to him. She walked over to him and sat down on the couch next to him. Katherine began to talk, but it was Mike whose lips moved faster, "You said no," He simply stated.

"I said no." Katherine almost repeated.

"Why?" Mike couldn't look at her. He didn't want to feel the pain of rejection again.

"I guess I'm not ready. All of this is moving too fast for me." Katherine tries to get him to look at her. "We've been living together for three months; I thought now was the perfect time." Mike plays with his hands, holding back the tears that are trying to escape his eyes.

"Mike, look at me." Katherine puts her hands on the sides of his face and says, "No matter what happened tonight have no doubt that I don't love you because I do; more than life itself."

"Maybe that's not enough." Mike looks deep into her eyes and feels that pain again.

"Huh?" Katherine lets go of his face and places her hands on top of his.

"I love you, but I can't do this anymore if we don't have a future. You showed me tonight that might not happen." He looks down and plays with her fingers.

"I'm just not ready now, just give me some time." She pleads.

"Katherine lets not kid ourselves; if you're not ready now you might not ever be. So, take my proposal now or I walk out that door, it's all or nothing."

tbc... possible sequal?


End file.
